knows that there is an adult in their life that thinks they are a
star regardless of the situation, then they know that the person
is going to be there for them. I think that's what a kid needs.”
Once the initial contact and conversation has been
started, people can move to the next step in starting the
fostering process.
Rocheleau said the first step at CAS is making contact
with a recruitment officers, where parents can express their
initial interests and share some information about themselves.
From there she and others would do an initial home
inspection to make sure that ministry standards would be
met. They would also assess what they could offer within the
home for a child. This leads to more detailed conversations
and eventually a mandatory nine week training program.
“This program runs one night a week for three hours, and
that really helps possible foster parents to understand how the
agency functions, the type of children that come into our
homes, the family situations that they are coming from. This
can make the possible parents feel a little more prepared for
the first placement they are going to receive.”
It's easy to imagine that being a foster parent requires a
certain set of skills or attitudes. Patience, commitment,
flexibility, a sense of humour or adventure, and a desire to
build a unique family are sure to be valuable. But it really
comes down to matching the unique needs of a particular
child or children with what a potential foster parent has to
offer.
All foster agencies work to know the families well and to
understand where their strengths lie. Clearances and
references are also required. After this they can proceed with
beginning the placement process.
“What we strive to do is match the appropriate family
with the appropriate child…We want to make sure it's going
to be a good positive match,” says Rocheleau. “We don’t want
to have to see kids move from one placement to another, to
another, so a lot of thought goes into matching that child with
the right family.”
After placement, a variety of supports may be available for
the foster child, parents and other family members, depending
on the situation. This may include counselling, respite care,
financial support or other services.
In the end, it can be a life changing event for child and
parents, no matter the environment. “You are a real part of the
family,” says Ryan. “It's not like it’s portrayed on television
where there are the biological kids and the foster kids. There is
no line where the foster family and the biological family
begins. That's what makes it special.”